Friends Forever
by Prongs
Summary: This is also posted under a different title and my other pen name Cow Girl
1. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Ooh I am in such a bad mood it's not funny. I felt like writing a story that has something to do with friends since I have none. Oh and thanks to all my fans. MOONY, WORMTAIL, PADFOOT AND PRONGS RULE FOREVER!  
  
As we go on,  
We remember,  
All the times we,  
Had together.  
And as our lives change,  
Come on ever.  
We will still be,  
Friends forever.  
"Graduation" Vitamin C  
  
FRIENDS FOREVER  
  
Lily Evans looked around nervously as she stood on platform 9 and 3/4. It was the beginning of her 4th year at Hogwarts. She had no friends but didn't care because she would much rather spend her time in the library. She loved reading all the books of spells. Another good thing about the library was that Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and James Potter couldn't tease her. They never went to the library so Lily was safe.   
"Oh no!" Lily moaned as Sirius and James approached her. Lily ducked onto the train before they could see her. Lily found an empty carriage and sat down. The door opened and Sirius, James, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew stepped in.   
  
Sirius grinned evilly.  
"Well if it isn't the red head!" he said.  
"I have a name!" Lily snapped. She was sick of being called 'the red head.'   
"He knows that but he's being stupid," James said.  
"You mean he's acting normally."  
"Hey!"  
"Well it's true!"  
"At least I don't have a purple owl!"  
"Who has a purple owl?" Lily asked suddenly interested.  
"James does," Remus said speaking for the first time.  
  
"Yeah. I tried to give him a sense of direction and the spell sortta went wrong," James said glumly.  
"What's your owls name?"  
"Aloha. It means 'hello' or 'goodbye ' in Hawaiian."  
"I knew that," Lily said. "I can put him right if you like."  
"Nah I like him purple."  
"I tried to turn my sister's cat's eyes green once! It didn't work I sortta turn the cat green!" Sirius said happily. "My mum got so mad at me!"  
"You sound like you like being in trouble," Lily said.  
"Oh he does," James teased.  
"You bet I do!" Lily laughed. She hadn't laughed in a long time.  
  
"What's so funny?" Sirius demanded.  
"Purple owls! People who like getting into trouble! And I thought my life was weird!" Lily shook her head, which caused volumes of her red hair to fall into her face.  
"You have to admit your purple owl is quite funny, James," Sirius said.  
"Remember that time we sent Snape a howler and used Aloha!" Remus said.  
"Course I do! Remember the look on his face when a purple owl landed on his shoulder!" James laughed.  
"He was more afraid of the owl than the howler!" Sirius exclaimed. This caused them all to burst out laughing.  
"Look we're here!" Peter said. They got off the train and went up to the castle for the feast and the sorting. As Lily lay down in her bed that night she realised that for the first time in her life she had friends.  
  
The next month passed quickly. It was now a common sight to see Sirius, James, Remus, Lily and sometimes Peter huddled in the corner of the Gryffindor common room discussing something whether it is how to blow up something or how to humiliate the Slytherins. It was a Saturday so they had no classes. Sirius suggested they spend the day outside. Lily, James and Sirius sat in a tree. Well Lily sat while James and Sirius attempted to knock each other out of the tree.  
"Hey not me!" Lily cried as Sirius grabbed her arm and tried to push her out.  
"You're in the tree and the rule is all those in this tree must be pushed out!" Sirius crowed.  
"That means you!" James yelled.  
"No it means you and Lily. Remus get ready to catch! HEY I SAID NOT ME!" Lily laughed and casually pushed Sirius out of the tree.  
  
Remus didn't bother to try and catch him.  
"I said get ready to catch!" Sirius said.  
"I was ready to catch Lily or James but not you," Remus said simply.  
"Oh go jump in a lake, Remus."  
"Oi Sirius!" Lily yelled.  
"What? HEY! OW! THAT HURT!" Lily laughed and picked herself up off the ground. She'd jumped out of the tree and knocked Sirius over.  
"Thanks for breaking my fall," Lily teased.  
"You're NOT welcome. And James?"  
"Yeah!"  
"Don't even think of doing the same thing! OW!" For the second time that day Sirius was knocked to the ground.  
"I thought I said DON'T think of doing the same thing?"  
"You did but I chose to ignore you!"  
"Oh go jump in the lake!"  
"You've already used that stupid piece of advice today," Remus said.  
"Shut up Remus!" Sirius said.   
  
The next few months passed really quickly and for Lily they were they were the beginning of her new life outside the library. Christmas was the best one Lily had seen in a long time. Her favourite present was from Sirius. He had given her a photo album full of photos. Her favourite 2 were a group shot where they were all forcing their way into the picture. Peter wasn't in it because he was taking the photo. Sirius was grinning insanely, Remus was laughing and Lily was gasping for breath because James was tickling her. The other was of her wearing James's glasses while he crawled around the floor blindly trying to find them and Sirius was laughing his head off at the scene.   
  
Lily's favourite lesson was Charms. She was quite good at it too. James and Sirius were good at Transfiguration and Remus was good at Defence Against the Dark Arts.   
"Lily can you help me with my Charms homework?" James whined.  
"Only if you help me with Transfiguration," Lily teased. "I can't see to get this quill to turn into a rose."  
"It's easy watch." James tapped her quill with his wand and it turned into a rose.  
"See?"  
"It's easy for you put not for me. It either turns into a grey rose or a red, thorny quill." She taped the quill after James had turned it back. It turned into,  
"A rose! I did it!"  
  
"Did what?" Sirius said as he came into the common room.  
"Turned the quill into a rose of course!"  
"Oh that's easy!"  
"That's what James said."  
"I said it because it is easy," James said. "You have to help me with Charms now. I can't get the Silencing Charm right."  
"You'll have to practice on Sirius otherwise I can't help you."  
"No way you're not using A Silencing Cha..."  
"Silencio Cratismo!" Lily yelled.  
"Oh it's easy for you to do."  
"Undois!"   
"Thank you now I can talk again!" Sirius said.  
"Your turn James."  
  
"Silencio Cratismo!"  
"Ha it didn't work!"  
"Shut up Sirius!"  
"Maybe I don't want to shut up! Did you think of that James?" They tried the charm for another hour until James gave up.  
"Oh you can't give up that easily!" Lily said.  
"Yes I can because I just did"  
"I give up," Lily said. The rest of the year seemed to pass so quickly. Soon it was time to board the Hogwarts Express and head back to King's Cross.  
"See you guys later!" Sirius called as he ran over to his parents and sister.  
"I'll send you all an owl and see if you can come and stay for a while!" James said too Sirius, Lily, Remus and Peter.  
"See ya! I'll be waiting for that owl!" Remus said.  
"Bye guys!" Lily called as she ran over to her mother and father.  
  
"I thought you said you had no friends at that freak place you go to?" Petunia sneered.  
"I didn't have friends last year but I do this year!" Lily said.  
"That's great dear. It's good to see you happy again," Lily's mother said.  
"I don't like the look of them," her dad said.  
"Why not?" Lily demanded.  
"Messy hair," her dad grunted.  
"I like it messy! James and Sirius would be totally different people if their hair wasn't messy!"  
"Hmph." Petunia teased Lily all they way home and for the first week of the holidays.  
  
One morning while Lily was slurping her cereal just to annoy Petunia a large purple bird flew through the window. Petunia shrieked and ran out of the room.  
"Aloha!" Lily yelled. Her mother gave her a strange look.  
"It's the name of the owl. He belongs to my friend," she explained untying the note attached to Aloha's leg. It read:  
  
Hi Lil  
Having fun with that dear sister of yours? Anyway Sirius and Remus are coming to stay at my place for a week. Peter can't come :) !!! Ask your mum if you can though and send a reply with Aloha but not straight away. He's been flying for 3 days non-stop.   
  
James  
  
"Can I go mum? PLEASE!"  
"Let me see the note." Lily handed her the letter and her mother read it.  
"Can I?"  
"I suppose so," her mother said reluctantly.   
"YIPPEE! NO PETUNIA FOR A WHOLE WEEK!" Lily grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and wrote:  
  
Hi James  
I can come! Guess what? Mum and Dad bought me an owl! Her name is Hedwig. I found it in some book on magic. Cool huh? It's so sad that Pettigrew can't come NOT!!! I'm really psycho because Petunia is bugging me and now I have an excuse to get away from her! :) :) :)  
  
Lily  
  
She gave Aloha some water and owl pellets before sending him off with her reply. Two days later she got a reply.  
  
Hi  
Dad and I will come and get you on Sunday. Do you have a fireplace? What owl pellets did you feed Aloha? He has regained some sense of direction not all of it though.   
  
James  
  
P.S. No I'm not insane Sirius is though!  
  
"Sunday? That's tomorrow!"  
"What's so important about Sunday?" Petunia sneered.  
"On Sunday I'm going to stay at my friends house for a whole week! That's what is so important about Sunday!"  
"What is your friends name?"  
"None of your business!" Before Lily could stop her Petunia snatched the note Lily was holding and read it.  
"James and Sirius huh? Does mum know that your friends are boys?"  
"Yes she does now go AWAY!" Petunia threw the note on the ground and stalked off. She wrote a reply to James after telling her mother that they would pick her up tomorrow.  
  
"You'd better pack some clothes dear," her mother said.  
"Already have!" Lily said holding up a bag.  
"It's nine o'clock Cathy! Lily should be in bed now!" Lily's dad yelled from downstairs.  
"Good night dear."  
"Night mum!" That night Lily had a very strange dream about purple owls and green cats that hunted blue mice. The next morning Lily rolled over and fell out of bed.  
"Ow!" She said. Lily leaped up remembering what day it was. She pulled on some denim shorts and a black shirt then brushed her red hair. Lily had no idea where her hair colour came from because the rest of her family was blonde. She liked it because it made her different.  
  
Lily was different from her family in another way. Lily was a witch and no one else in her family was. She ran down stair for breakfast.  
"Morning mum!" Lily said.  
"Oh hello dear. Do you know what time your friend is coming?"  
"No. James just said that he and his dad would pick me up on Sunday." Just then there came a scream from the living room. Petunia ran into the kitchen. Her face was pale and she was trembling.  
"What is it dear?" Lily's mum said.  
"Two people just came out of the fireplace!" Petunia shrieked.  
"That would be James," Lily said running into the living room.  
"Oh hi Lily. I think we just scared your sister," James said sheepishly.  
  
"That's a good thing. She ran into the kitchen shaking."  
"Lily this is my dad," James said pointing to a tall man that looked just like him.  
"Hi," Lily said. Lily's mum came into the room.  
"Are you ready to go dear?"  
"I've just gotta go get my bag," Lily said running up the steps and appeared back down a minute later.  
"Bye mum," Lily said. Lily's mum waved and went back into the kitchen.  
"Um how are we getting to your house?" Lily asked.  
"Floo powder," James's dad said.  
"All you do is throw some of this powder in the fire and yell 'Toscana'!" James said.  
"Why Toscana?"  
"It's the name of our house."  
"Why did you name your house?"  
"So you can use floo powder. Watch me." James threw some green powder in the fire, stepped in and yelled,  
"Toscana!" He disappeared in a whirl of green flames. Lily did the same and almost instantly fell out onto the floor of a large house.  
  
Sirius looked down at her.  
"Hello. I guess you used floo powder for the first time?" he asked.  
"Yep," Lily replied getting up. A minute later James's dad appeared.  
"I've got some work to do James. Please be quiet and don't let Sirius break anything!"  
"Yeah whatever dad. Remus should be arriving just about NOW!" James said, as if on cue Remus tumbled out onto the floor.  
"Hi," he said standing up dusting off some soot. "You really need to clean your fireplace." Lily's stomach grumbled.  
"I didn't have breakfast," she said.  
"That's ok, neither have we. Mum said to wait until everyone was here," James said.  
  
"Believe me you will be glad you waited. Mrs Potter is the best cook," Sirius said.  
"Oh I'm not that good," a lady who obviously was James's mother.  
"You are," Sirius insisted.   
"Gee Sirius you sound like you live here!" Lily teased.  
"I do on holidays, don't I James?"  
"Yes unfortunately."  
"Are you guys," Mrs Potter started.  
"And girl," Lily added.  
"And girl going to eat or just stand there yakking all day?"  
"EAT!" Sirius exclaimed like it was the most obvious thing in the whole world. They sat down at the kitchen table and Mrs Potter placed a huge plate of steaming pancakes infront of each of them. Sirius was practically drooling over them.  
  
"Don't slobber on them," Remus said.  
"I'm not. When you taste these pancakes you'll understand."  
"Yeah whatever," Lily said as she took a big bite of pancake. "Yum these are good!"  
"What did I tell you?" Sirius teased. When they had finished breakfast Mrs Potter made James show Lily and Remus where they were sleeping. Sirius already knew because he had already stayed a night. James led them upstairs and pushed open a door.   
"Don't you ever clean your room?" Lily asked.  
"Not really," James replied with a grin. All the junk on one side of the room had been pushed aside to make space for 4 sleeping bags.  
  
"How many brooms do you have James?" Sirius asked.  
"Three, why?"  
"Duh James we could go flying!" Sirius ran out of the room and down stairs.  
"What took you so long?" He demanded when the others arrived.   
"Uh we didn't run," Lily said.  
"They're in that cupboard," James said pointing to a cupboard. Sirius bounced over to it and pulled out 3 brooms. He bounced outside with them.  
"Course you take the good broom," Remus teased.  
"Hurry up will you!" Sirius said.  
"What about me?" Lily demanded.  
"You can share with James," Sirius said slyly.   
"At least he can fly unlike you Sirius."  
"Oh shut up." Sirius took off really quickly and disappeared in the clouds.  
  
Remus, James and Lily followed. Sirius was doing loop-de-loops and chasing Remus who looked slightly green. They flew until lunchtime. When they landed Sirius said,  
"Lily how do you feel about getting wet?"  
"No! Sirius Black don't you dare!" Lily shrieked. Sirius grabbed the garden hose and chased Lily around the yard with it. Half an hour later all 4 of them were soaking wet.  
"I'm gonna climb the tree," Lily said.  
"Me too!"  
"Me three!"  
"Me four!" When Mrs Potter came out with a plate of sandwiches she smiled at the scene before her. 4 soaking wet kids with windblown hair were hanging out of a tree.   
  
"Are you guys hungry?" She called.  
"Yes!"  
"You're always hungry Sirius!"  
"No I'm not!" They jumped out of the tree (Sirius got landed on again) and raced over too Mrs Potter. They lay on the grass in the shade with the plate of sandwiches between them.  
"What do you guys wanna be when we leave school?" Remus asked.  
"An Auror!" Sirius said instantly. "All those Muggle killings that you read about in the paper, It makes me sick."  
"I dunno really. Maybe something to do with Charms," Lily said with a sigh.  
"I don't care really. Maybe I'll play Quidditch for England. What about you Remus?"  
"I don't know. I'll think about it when we graduate. I s'pose an Auror wouldn't be too bad."  
  
"Let's do something! I'm really bored!" Lily said.  
"But what? There's nothing to do!" Sirius said.  
"Wait! Remember that list we started yesterday Sirius?" James asked.  
"Yeah! Let's finish it! Where did you hide it again James?"  
"In the tree hollow." Sirius jumped up and ran to the base of a tree. He came back with a crumpled piece of parchment and a quill.  
"It's a list of what we have to do when school starts," he explained. So far it read:  
  
1. Blow up Snape's cauldron and make sure he gets covered in Truth Potion or what ever.  
2. Dungbombs in McGonagall's bed.  
3. Dungbombs in Divination Tower and hopefully drive Trawley insane.  
4. Turn all the owls green!  
5. Send Howlers to Snape, McGonagall, all the Hufflepuff girls, the Slytherin Quidditch Captain and Peter.  
  
"That's all we've thought of so far," James said.  
"Why Peter?" Remus asked.  
"It'll be fun!" Sirius said.  
"I've got another one! We could find all these Charms and use them on the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins!"  
"Ok I'll write that down!" Sirius said.  
  
6. Use Charms, Curses and Hexes on the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins.  
7. Turn Ms Norris every colour we can think of!  
8. Scare Filch  
9. Transfigure the trophies into daisies!  
10. Convince Peeves to throw water balloons at all the teachers!  
11. Turn McGonagall into a rabbit, skunk, horse, gorilla, bat and a pig.  
12. Enlarge McGonagall's front teeth.  
13. At Christmas curse all the teachers and make them sing Christmas Carols at the top of their voices.  
  
"We seem to be annoying McGonagall a lot," Lily said.  
"That's because she's easy to annoy," James said.  
"I hope we get detentions for everyone of these!" Sirius exclaimed.  
"You are strange Sirius," Lily teased.  
"I try my best!"  
"Kids! I just heard the weather report. There's a storm coming. You'd better come inside!" Mrs Potter called.  
"So that's why it got cold all of a sudden!" Remus said. They trooped inside wondering what they could do. In the end they ended up playing exploding snap and chess for the rest of the afternoon. The storm hit at around 5 o'clock. Rain pelted against the windows and the wind howled.  
  
"I love it when it rains," Lily said staring dreamily out the window.   
"Why? You can't do anything fun like climbing trees and flying," Sirius said.  
"Yeah you can!" Lily insisted. "Haven't you ever played in the rain?"  
"No."  
"Well there's a first time for everything!" Lily said. She motioned for them to follow her outside. The moment they stepped outside they were instantly drenched.  
"Ick, I didn't realise that it involved being so wet!" Remus said.  
"But that's the fun of it!" Lily said in an exasperated tone.  
"It is?" James asked. He gave her a look that clearly said 'you are insane.'   
  
"Let's play chasey!" Lily said. They looked blankly at her. "Don't tell me you haven't heard of chasey either?"  
"Ok we won't tell you. What is chasey?" James asked.  
"It's a game. Someone is 'it' and they have to chase the people who aren't 'it' until they catch someone. If you get tagged then you're 'it'!"   
"Oh ok? But how do you decide whose it?"  
"I will since you boys obviously have no idea what I'm talking about," Lily said. After a little while Sirius, James and Remus figured it out and soon they were all running around the rain trying not to be tagged.  
  
After a while Lily flopped down on the wet grass.  
"Hey Lily your hair isn't red anymore!" James said flopping onto the grass next to her.  
"Really? What colour is it?"  
"Green!" Sirius teased lying down next to James. Lily shrieked.  
"No it's not Lily," Remus said. "It's sort of like a dark reddy-brown colour."  
"Party Pooper!" Sirius teased.  
"Oh that's ok then. I thought for a moment it was green."  
"Nah! I was just kidding," Sirius said.  
"What's that?" James said pointing to something in the air.  
"It looks like an owl!" Remus said.  
"It is!" Lily exclaimed. The owl flew towards them and landed on Lily's shoulder. She untied the envelope tied to its leg. The note inside read:  
Dear Ms Vantay  
You have been selected as one of the Gryffindor Prefects. Your badge is enclosed in the envelope. Please try and fulfil the requirements the Prefects have.  
  
Minerva McGonagall  
(Deputy Headmistress)  
  
Lily groaned.  
"What?" James asked. She handed him the letter. Sirius and Remus read over his shoulder.  
"Ha! You're a Prefect! Sucked in! No more fun for you!" Sirius exclaimed.  
"Maybe if I'm really bad they'll take the badge back!" Lily said hopefully.  
"We could bewitch it to say 'I'm a Prefect Unfortunately'!" James said.  
"It'd never work," Remus said.   
"It's getting dark. Maybe we'd better go inside," James said.  
"And hope that your mum doesn't kill us for being wet!" Sirius exclaimed. They reluctantly wet inside.  
"What's wrong with Lily?" Mrs Potter asked.  
"She's a prefect!" Sirius said gleefully.  
"Oh congratulations!" Mrs Potter chirped.  
  
"Mum she doesn't want to be a prefect," James explained.  
"Oh. Well dinner is almost ready. Go put some dry clothes on and wash your hands all of you."  
(Mrs Potter is your typical mother. Strict about rules :(:()  
Five minutes later Lily bounded down the stairs screeching, James bounded down after her trying to tickle her. Sirius followed with an amused expression on his face.  
"Must have something to do with the rain," he said to Remus.  
"Nah. It's the lack of food," Remus said. They went into the kitchen with Mrs Potter asking what all the noise was.  
"It's your son trying to tickle his girlfriend," Sirius said. Mrs Potter looked horrified but Lily ran into the kitchen yelling,  
"I'M NOT JAMES'S GIRLFRIEND!"  
"Sure your not!" Sirius said with an evil grin.  
"You're stupid," Lily said running out of the kitchen with James chasing her.  
  
"Definatly something to do with the rain," Remus said laughing.  
"I thought you said it was the lack of food?" Sirius said.  
"It's both," Remus answered. Mrs Potter convinced James to leave Lily alone (Lily was very thankful for this).   
"So James when's the wedding?" Sirius teased.  
"Huh? For the last time Sirius, Lily and I are just friends!"  
"For now," Sirius said with a grin.  
"What is that s'posed to mean?" Lily demanded. Sirius laughed and went back to his food. Remus looked very amused at this conversation.   
"Quit looking at me like that Remus!" James snapped.  
"Somebody's in a bad mood," Remus teased.  
"You two are enough to get anyone in a bad mood!"  
"Now, now, now. Since when do you guys fight?" Mrs Potter said.  
  
They played around, teased each other and basically wore themselves out. Lily fell asleep almost instantly.  
  
"No Please! No don't hurt mummy and daddy! Please!"  
"Stand aside you stupid girl!"  
"No PLEASE!"  
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"  
"NOOOOO! MOTHER! FATHER! NOOOO!" The girl ran from the house into the rain sobbing.  
"Where do you think your going?"  
"Leave me alone!"  
"CRUCIO!"  
"AHHHHHH! AHHHHHHH! AAAHHHHHHHH!"  
  
Lily woke up sweating. The dream seemed so real. As she drifted off to sleep Lily could have sworn she heard a bang and a scream but she decided she was just thinking about her dream. There was another scream and Lily sat up with a start. There was no way she was going to get anymore sleep that night. She looked around the room at her friends. Sirius looked so innocent when he was asleep. Lily giggled and reminded herself that it was probably the only time he would look innocent. Remus's hair was falling in his face and James was snoring softly. Lily sighed and lay down staring at the ceiling. She was soon fast asleep. The next morning it was still raining. After they had eaten breakfast they went outside to play in the rain again.  
  
Lily climbed the tree and sat in her favourite branch. It over looked the neighbours yard.  
"Guys! Come up here and look at this!" Lily said. "Look at the house next door!" The house was blackened like there had been a fire and was totally destroyed.   
"Wow! Wonder what happened?" Sirius said sounding amused. He climbed down the tree and jumped over the fence.  
"I don't think that was a good idea!" Lily called.  
"Yeah it was! Come over here and look for yourselves!" Sirius yelled. Lily sighed and followed James and Remus down the tree and over the fence. Lily stared up beautiful house. At least it was beautiful yesterday but not now.  
  
"I wonder what happened to this place?" James said. Lily looked at the house again and her dream came flooding back to her. Lily looked around the yard.  
"Hey what's that!" She exclaimed pointing to one corner of the yard. They wandered over to have a look. Lily gasped at the sight. A girl with long black hair lay in the mud. She was unconscious and had a big gash down her arm that was bleeding and several smaller cuts on her face. Her jeans and shirt were torn.  
"I know her!" Lily gasped. "She's in my dorm! And we have Arithmomancy together!"   
"Oh yeah! She's also on the Quidditch Team! Quite good at it too," Sirius said going red.  
"And Divination!" Remus exclaimed.  
"I'll go get my mum. She was a nurse a couple of years ago," James said. He jumped the fence and sprinted across his yard and disappeared inside.  
  
"I wonder what happened to her?" Sirius said. Lily thought of her dream again and shivered.  
"What?" Remus asked.  
"Nothing I'm just a bit cold from the rain," Lily lied. Mrs Potter and James appeared. Mrs Potter conjured up a stretcher and walked back to the house with it floating beside her. The foursome followed in silence. Lily looked slightly sick but refused to tell anyone what was wrong. After a 6th attempt to cheer her up they finally gave up and left her alone. Lily sat in the tree on her favourite branch and was so deep in her thoughts she didn't notice James climb up and sit next to her.   
"What's wrong?" James asked. Lily looked up in surprise.  
"Oh hi. I didn't see you there. What did you say?"  
"I asked you what is wrong."  
  
"Well it's just that last night I dreamed that Voldemort went into a home a killed someone's parents and then used the Cruciatus Curse on a girl and the next thing I know there is a house destroyed and a girl in the yard."   
"So you dreamed that this would happen?" Lily nodded and her eyes filled with tears.  
"I'm scared James. If what I dreamed really happened it means Voldemort was just next door! A murder happened a few metres away!"  
"Don't cry. It's ok. If he was there he's gone now and that girl could've just fallen out of a tree and hit her head or something."  
"It doesn't explain the destroyed house!"  
"I guess you're right." James smiled at her then climbed down the tree and went off to find Sirius leaving a very confused Lily behind.  
  
'Jeez he's got nice eyes.' Lily thought. 'Stop it! He's your best friend you can't fall in love with your best friend!'  
'Yes you can!'  
'But I don't want to!'  
'Yes you do! Admit it, you like James Potter!'  
'No I don't!' Lily sighed but refused to believe that she liked James more than a friend. It was ridiculous! Lily was very frustrated with herself. She rested her head on the branch behind her and looked at the house next door.  
"Lily! Hey Lily! That girl we found woke up! Come on down!" Sirius yelled. Lily practically leaped out of the tree.  
"What were you doing up there? You seem to like climbing that tree."  
"I was just thinking." Sirius raised his eyebrows.  
"Are you sure? I saw James climb up there before."  
"Sirius! He was asking if I was ok!"  
"Sure whatever."  
"You're really annoying sometimes!"  
"I try my best!"  
  
When Lily entered the room the girl looked at her sadly. (Sirius claimed that he'd already tried to talk to her. James had told her that when Sirius had tried to talk to her was after Quidditch practice and all he got was a slap in the face.)   
"Um hi. I'm..." Lily began.  
"I know who you are. We're in the same dorm at Hogwarts remember?" She said sadly. "I thought you said your parents were Muggles?" She choked on the word 'parents.'  
"They are."  
"Then whose house is this?"  
"James Potter's."  
"Then what are you doing here?"  
"I'm one of his best friends. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin are also here."  
"Oh." She looked sadly out the window. "I remember in my 3rd year Sirius tried to ask me out after Quidditch practice."  
  
Lily remembered what James had told her and giggled.  
"What?"  
"Oh nothing."  
"Tell me!" She sounded almost happy for a minute.  
"James said that you slapped Sirius after that."  
"Oh that. Well I was in a bad mood. He'd accidentally hit a bludger at me during practice. At least he said it was an accident." She sighed. "This is the type of conversation I'd be having with my sister if she was still alive."  
"I'm sorry," Lily said. The girl's eyes filled with tears.  
"I miss them so much," she choked.  
"Oh don't cry please! I couldn't bear it!"  
"I've got to cry Lily! If I don't I feel like I'd explode."  
"I'm sorry that your family had to die Rebecca!"  
"Call me Bec," She said quietly. "Katie used to." She looked out the window again with tears spilling down her cheeks. Lily slipped out the door quietly.  
  
"Well?" Sirius asked.  
"She seems to think it's her fault they died. And Sirius, she only slapped you because she was in a bad mood."  
"How do you know?"  
"I asked her."  
"Oh." Lily was enjoying watching Sirius turn red.  
"Maybe you should go talk to her," Lily teased, if possible Sirius went even redder. James pushed him inside the room and shut the door. Five minutes later he emerged holding his cheek.  
"What happened?" Remus asked.  
"She slapped me again." James burst out laughing.  
"What...Did...You...Do?" He laughed.  
"Nothing! I just sat down and when she saw who I was she slapped me again!" Lily and Remus joined in laughing.  
"It's not funny!"  
"It is!" Lily insisted.   
  
The rest of the holidays went quickly and to Lily's surprise she was standing on platform 9 and 3/4 in no time at all. Sirius, James and Bec burst through the barrier laughing.  
"What have you done now?" Lily asked.  
"Oh nothing," Sirius said airily.  
"Yes you have now tell me!"  
"Ok, ok we turned Snape's hair blue!" Bec exclaimed.  
"You should have heard him scream!" James said with a laugh.  
"Don't forget the sparkles!" Sirius exclaimed. The four howled with laughter.  
"Um mind telling me what's so funny?" Remus suddenly piped up.  
"Oh nothing. It's just that Snape now has blue -" James said.  
"Sparkly!" Sirius interrupted.   
"- Hair!" James finished with a grin.  
  
Remus looked at them like they were insane, (which they probably were). They talked about Snape's blue hair all the way to Hogwarts. The first term passed so quickly and it was soon Christmas. Remus, Sirius and Peter went home for the holidays. Bec also went home to her aunt's house. She was not pleased about the arrangements. Lily woke up on Christmas day in an awful mood. She and James had gotten into an argument the night before over something and now they weren't speaking to each other.   
"Morning Lily!" Tiriana Beldoff, a cheery girl who was also in Lily's dorm said.  
"No it's not!" Lily snapped. Tiriana looked hurt.  
"Fine be like that!" Tiriana stomped out of the room. Lily groaned. She'd have to apologise to her later. Lily opened her presents and went down to breakfast. The Great Hall was almost empty. Most of the school had gone home for Christmas.  
  
After breakfast Lily was going back up to the common room when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Lily knew without turning around who it was without turning around.  
"I don't want to talk to you Potter!" Lily snapped. She started walking faster but James grabbed her arm.  
"Well I want to talk to you!" he said.  
"Didn't you hear me? I said I didn't want to talk to you!" James ignored Lily and dragged her outside.  
"Look about last night I -"  
"I said I didn't want to talk to you for the 3rd time!"  
"I'm sorry ok! You can be so stuck up sometimes you know that?"  
"Me stuck up!? I thought you were my friend?! You say I'm stuck up! Well what about you? Just because you're the Quidditch captain for Gryffindor and the girls follow you around everywhere doesn't mean you rule the world!"  
"I didn't say I did!"  
"You may not have said it but you act like it!"  
  
"I do not! You think I like people following me everywhere? It's annoying!" Lily was silent for a moment.  
"I'm sorry," she whispered. She turned to run back inside but James stopped her.  
"I didn't mean to yell at you Lil," he said softly. Before Lily could say anything James had leant down and kissed her. Lily was shocked. She didn't know what to say so she didn't say anything.  
"Please don't hate me Lil!" James begged.  
"I don't hate you!" Lily said going red. James grinned and kissed her again. 2 weeks later classes began again. Bec was depressed again.  
"What's wrong?" Lily asked her one day.  
"Aunt Sisaria blames me for my family's death," Bec whispered. Tears streamed down her cheeks.  
  
"Oh Bec you know it's not your fault!" Lily said. Bec wiped her eyes.  
"I know it's not my fault. Anyway how was your Christmas?" Bec said totally changing the subject.  
"Fine I guess," Lily said going red. Bec gave her the I-want-to-know-but-you're-not-going-to-tell-me look.  
"Did ya like the pressie I gave ya?"  
"Yes it's beautiful!"  
"Do you wear it?"  
"Course I do!" Lily pulled a silver chain with a miniature white and silver lilly on it out from under the collar of her robes. Bec smiled.  
"My mother gave it to me. It's a family tradition. She gave one to her best friend and kept one. Then she duplicated the one she kept and gave two of the duplicates to me. When I'm older I'll duplicate mine and give two to my daughter if I have one."  
"That's a good idea! But how come it's a lilly?"  
  
"Oh that. Well it's really strange. Grandma's best friend was named Rose so the charm was a rose. Mum's best friend was named Daisy so the charm was a daisy. It's really weird how everyone in my family's best friend's name has been a flower." Lily laughed.  
"Everyone in my family has had blonde hair since I don't know when and suddenly a red head is born!" It was Bec's turn to laugh.  
"So what did you do on Christmas day?"  
"That Bec, is strictly confidential."  
"Aw please tell me!"  
"No! It's a secret!"  
"Meanie, c'mon we're gonna be late for Transfiguration!" Lily pulled a face. She hated Transfiguration because she was hopeless at it. Bec laughed.  
"Oh c'mon!" Bec teased.  
"You only like it because McGonagall made you Sirius's partner!"  
"That's not true!"  
"Yeah it is!" With that Bec chased Lily all the way to class.   
  
Transfiguration was horrible as usual. Lily's partner Donia Luhery always tried her best to help Lily get it right but her attempts always failed.  
"Oh Donia it's no use!"  
"Lily you've got to keep trying. Think of fluffy rabbit slippers not balls of fluff with eyes." Lily giggled. The bell rang and Donia went off to find her friend Constance Zimerlly. Lily was glad that the day's classes were over. She walked back to the common room not bothering to try and race Bec. After dinner Lily and Bec sat in the common room playing chess when Dumbledore came in followed by 2 girls. The room went silent.  
"These girls are here on an exchange program. Their names are Elsea and Candice Donian. They will be staying with the 5th year girls." With that her left. Candice and Elsea were identical twins. They both had brown hair and eyes. The twins approached Lily and Bec.  
"G'day I'm Candice and this is Elsea. Are you 5th years?" She had a very strong accent.  
"Yep," Bec said not looking up from the chess game.  
"I'm Lily Evans and she's Bec Larsonia," Lily said jerking her thumb at Bec who was still staring at the game.  
  
"Pleased to meet you," Elsea said politely. She also had an accent but it wasn't as strong as Candice's.  
"Where are you from?" Bec asked finally looking up.  
"Australia!" Candice exclaimed. "It's wonderful there! I like it here in England but I miss the Australian summers."  
"I don't. Australia was too hot! I love it here!" Elsea said. "I'm going to go see if I can meet some more people ok Candi?"  
"Yeah whatever Elsea."  
"You might want to try those girls over there," Lily said pointing to Tiriana Beldoff, Constance Zimerlly and Donia Luhery.  
"Thanks." Elsea wandered off to the other side of the room. Just then Sirius and James bounced into the common room. Remus followed.   
"Hi Bec! Hi Lily! Who's this? Where's she from?" Sirius said this all in one breath.  
"Hi Sirius, this is Candice, she's from Australia," Bec answered.  
"Is he on some sort of medication?" Candice asked Lily.  
"No he's just naturally insane."  
"I heard that!"  
"You were meant to! By the way the insane person is Sirius Black, the one with messy hair is James Potter and the other one is Remus Lupin," Bec said.  
  
"So how long are you staying here?" Remus asked.  
"I don't really know. I miss my friends back home," Candice said. "Elsea really loves it here though she hated the hot Australian summers."  
"Are you a you Muggle born?" James asked.  
"James! That's not very nice!" Lily scolded.  
"I don't care really. I'm a pureblood, uh what's your name again?"  
"James."  
"Right. I'm hopeless at remembering names. I usually leave that job to Elsea. Wait Lily! Don't move that pawn! If you do she'll get your bishop and it'll be checkmate! Move the rook 6 to the right so she'll have to move that knight and then you can get her queen!"  
"You seem to know your way around a chess board!" Sirius exclaimed.  
"No one can beat him," Remus explained.  
"I can!" James exclaimed.  
"Except James on his good days."  
"Well let's see if I can beat him. Want a game?"  
"Ok. I'll go get a board. I think I chucked one under my bed the other day..." Sirius bounced upstairs to get the chessboard.  
  
"Ha Checkmate! I won! I won!" Lily danced around the room receiving strange looks from a couple of 6th years.  
"It's a first! Lily won a game of chess!" Bec teased. Remus, James, Lily and Bec decided to play Exploding Snap while Candice and Sirius played chess. Two hours later...  
"Now if I move that there then he can take that bishop but if I move my Queen there... CHECKMATE!" Candice yelled.  
"This is impossible! I've been beaten!" Sirius pretended to die while Candice jumped up and down for joy.  
"You had to loose to someone else beside me sometime Padfoot," James teased.  
"I could beat her anytime I want! I let her win!"  
"Best of three then. How 'bout it Sirius?" Candice challenged.  
"Fine you've won one game so far." A long time later  
"Yippee! I beat you 3 games to nothing! Admit it Sirius Black I am a better chess player than you!" Candice shrieked.  
"Fine I accept my defeat but I won't admit that -"  
"I'm a better player than you!"  
"Yes I won't admit that - hey! You tricked me into saying yes!" Candice laughed and she ran up the steps to the girl's dorm after Lily and Bec.  
  
The next few months passed quickly. Elsea and Candice settled in very quickly. Candice was almost as big a troublemaker as Bec Sirius and James. Almost. One day in May Lily received an owl at breakfast. She read it and went all pale.  
"What is it Lily?" Candice asked. Lily didn't answer; she walked out of the Great Hall quickly so that no one could see the tears that threatened to escape from her eyes.  
"I wonder what's wrong with Lily," Candice said sounding worried.  
"I wouldn't worry too much Candi. Lily has been know to have mood swings," Bec said. "If she's still upset later I'll talk to her." Lily didn't come to any of the days classes, Bec and Candice were beginning to get worried. After their last class Bec went up to their dorm.  
"Lil? Is everything alright?" Bec didn't get and answer. She walked over and tried to take the letter out of Lily's fist.  
"What did I do to you when your parents died?" Lily snapped.  
"You talked to me and left me alone," Bec answered sounding shocked.  
"Well can you do the last part?"  
  
Bec looked hurt.  
"Lil I'm your best friend! Who knows how long I could've been lying in the mud if you hadn't climbed the tree that day! Lil I could've died! I'm not saying you have to tell me or anything. I just can stand seeing my friends upset."  
"Bec! My parents are dead and you're babbling about how I could've saved your life! Please just leave me alone!" Lily gasped.  
"I'm sorry Lil." With those words Bec walked out of the room.  
"What's wrong with her?" James asked when she came down into the common room.  
"Her parents are dead," Bec said dully. "I wouldn't go up there. She'll yell at you." James ignored Bec and went up the steps.  
"You know what? I think something happened over the Christmas holidays that we don't know about," Sirius mused.  
"I think your right," Bec said.  
  
"Lily are you ok?"  
"Go away Potter!"  
"Look I'm sorry about your parents."  
"I said go AWAY!" James narrowly dodged the pillow Lily threw at him. She began to cry.  
"Why did they have to die James why?" Lily sobbed.  
"I don't know Lil." James sat down next to her.  
"They never did anything wrong! They were the nicest people I've ever known and now they're gone. Why? Why? Why did they have to die? Why?" James held her in his arms until her sobs subsided.   
"Thanks James," Lily said brushing her hair out of her face.  
"What are friends for?" James kissed her softly. Lily jerked back in surprise.  
"Sorry," James said going red. "You were so upset and I just - well sorry." Just then there came a shriek from the common room. Lily and James ran down to see what had happened. Elsea had a huge grin on her face while Constance looked both happy and disappointed.  
  
"What is it?" Lily asked her.  
"Mum and Dad are moving here, to England and Elsea and I will being get the rest of our schooling here at Hogwarts," Candice said with a grin. "But I'll never see Australia again or my friends again. What'll Amanda say! I promised her I'd come back! I promised!" Candice's smile vanished.  
"That's great!" Bec said.   
"I loved Australia so much." At that moment Dumbledore came into the common room carrying the sorting hat.  
"I've just heard the news Elsea and Candice. If you are to continue learning at Hogwarts you'll need a house." Candice put on the hat first.  
"GRYFFINDOR!" It shouted. Then Elsea put it on.  
"RAVENCLAW!"  
"Very well. If you'll please follow me to the Ravenclaw common room, your things are already there. Oh and Miss Evans? Will you please go wait in my office? The password is the same as before." Elsea waved good bye to Candice and followed Dumbledore out of the portrait hole.  
  
Lily shrugged and climbed out of the portrait hole. She told the password (gob stopper) to the stone gargoyle and went up into the office. Dumbledore appeared a moment later.  
"I understand that your parents have died?" He said kindly. Lily felt a lump rise in her throat.  
"Yes they have," She choked.  
"How are you taking it?"  
"Ok I guess. I cried a bit but I'm fine now."  
"Good. Come and see me if you have anything you'd like to discuss. You may go." Lily raced back to the Gryffindor Common Room. She didn't feel like talking to anyone so she went up to her dorm and pulled the curtains around her bed shut. Lily fell fast asleep and dreamt that her parents were still alive. The next morning when Lily woke she peeked through a gap in the curtains. Bec was half under her bed muttering something about shoes and Candice was trying to tame her crazy hair.  
"You're fighting a loosing battle there dear," the mirror said sleepily. Lily pulled her head back inside the curtains.  
  
"Candi have you seen my shoes?"  
"Yes I have Bec."  
"Good where are they?"  
"On your feet." Bec looked down sheepishly.  
"Oops."  
"Sometimes I wonder if you have a brain Bec," Tiriana Beldoff teased.  
"Oh She does. She just uses it in the wrong areas," Lily piped up.  
"Practical jokes are not the wrong area!"  
"Whatever."  
"Hey guess what?" Donia squealed.  
"What?" Her friend Constance muttered.  
"I heard McGonagall talking about a Foundation Dance! You know it's like 5000 years since Hogwarts was founded by Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin!"  
"Ooh really?" Constance said waking up properly. Bec rolled her eyes as Constance, Tiriana and Donia started yakking away.  
"Hogsmeade today!" Candice said happily. "I can't wait to go! I've heard so much about it!"  
  
Bec seized her opportunity to tell Candice everything about Hogsmeade.  
"Don't spoil it for me!" Candice scolded. They went down to the common room. Sirius was grinning about something.  
"What is it this time?" Lily asked.  
"Me and Prongs invented a spell. It's called the Dog Spell. We tested in on Snape! Now everytime he tries to talk he sounds like a poodle!" Lily burst out laughing.  
"Ooh I have got to hear him!"  
"Let's go down to breakfast! I'm hungry!" James said.  
"You're always hungry!" Sirius teased.   
"No I'm not! Only in the mornings!" Breakfast was interesting as usual.  
"Hello Snape," Bec said sweetly.  
"Aroo! Ar ar ar ar ah! Roof grrr!" Bec, Lily, Candice, Remus, James and Sirius roared with laughter and left an angry looking Snape behind.  
  
After breakfast they went to Hogsmeade. Since the Foundation Dance was coming up the girls went to a new shop called 'Madam Zumpery's Dresses and Robes for all occasions.' The assistant Delilah took their measurements and told them to come back in 3 hours to pick up their dresses.  
"Well where do you want to go first?" James asked.  
"I don't care," Candice said. She was practically bursting from excitement.  
"Ok how 'bout Zonko's then Honeydukes then the post office then the Three Broomsticks and then back to Madam whatever her name is to get our dresses?" Bec said.  
"Ok by me," Sirius said. Candice loved Zonko's! Lily was sure that if she had the money she would've bought the whole shop. She thought Honeydukes and the post office were just as interesting.  
"Let's go to the Three Broomsticks. I'm so thirsty!" Bec exclaimed. They sat at a table near the window and watched the people go past.  
  
"Anyone got a date for the ball yet?" Candice asked.  
"Nope," Lily said.  
"Surely you one of the most popular 5th years would have been asked!?" Sirius teased.  
"Well I haven't," Lily replied. "Unless you count that annoying 2nd year." Sirius found the fact that Lily hadn't been asked to the dance by anyone except a 2nd year incredibly funny.  
"Has anyone been asked?" James said.  
"I have," Candice said.  
"Really by whom?" Bec pestered.  
"Not telling!" Candice exclaimed in mock horror.  
"Tell us or I'll turn you into a Flobberworm!" Sirius teased. Candice unfortunately believed he would do it.  
"I asked her," Remus muttered before Candice could say anything.  
"Did you really?" James asked.  
"Yes he did!" Candice said.  
  
"And what did you say?" Sirius teased.  
"None of your business!"  
"C'mon our dresses should be read now!" Lily said. They went to get their dresses. About half the girls in the school had the same idea. Finally the girls emerged from the shop holding a box each.  
"I can't believe McGonagall left it so late to tell everyone!" Candice said. They walked down the main street passing groups of girls who burst into giggles when they passed.  
"Honestly giggling should be banned!" Sirius sighed. "Say Bec wanna go to the dance with me?" Sirius looked ready to duck in case Bec tried to slap him again.  
"Ok," She said simply. For some reason Bec was a tad too happy for the rest of the afternoon. Later that night all 6 were hanging around the common room. Sirius and Candice were playing chess. Bec was watching. Remus was doing his homework and watching. Lily was reading and James was watching her read.  
  
(Hey I couldn't think of anything for James to do!)  
  
"Say Lil?" He asked.  
"Mmm?" Lily said without looking up.  
"Wanna go to the dance with me? You don't have to. It was just a thought."  
"Course I'll go with you! You always assume that I'll say no." Lily went back to reading her book.  
"Um Lily? You usually read books the other way around!"  
"Oh. It's more interesting this way," she said but she turned the book over anyway. The next two days went by in a blur. The teachers had agreed (with a little help from a potion that Sirius, James, Bec and Candice cooked up) to cancel classes on the day of the dance. Most children were pleased at this, the girls in particular. Late that afternoon Bec, Lily and Candice disappeared upstairs into their dorm to get ready. Once they were ready they went down to the common room.  
  
Bec's dress was white, very tight and very, very short. It was downed with fake diamonds that made it seem almost silver in the light. She had on white sandals and her black hair was left out and she had used a spell on it to make it shine. Lily's dress was midnight blue. It came down to her ankles and had silver swirls along the bottom. Her hair was also left out and she had used the same spell that Bec had used to make it shiny. Candice's dress was lemon coloured with blue patterns on it. It was fairly long and went well with her dark brown curls. Somehow she had managed to control her hair and had put it into and elegant twist. When they came down into the common room all three boys were lost for words. Yes even Sirius who usually wouldn't shut up was speechless. Bec was getting annoyed at them.  
"Hello! It's just us!" She said crossly.  
"Huh? Oh hi. Should we go now?" Sirius said. Sadly he was back to his talkative self.  
"Yes we should go now!" Bec said impatiently. The 6 went down to the Great Hall. Red, Green, Yellow and Blue decorations had been hung around it.  
  
When Dumbledore opened the dance the music began. Students filled the floor. Candice and Remus had disappeared but Lily spotted them a few minutes after the dance had started.   
"Want to dance Bec?" Sirius asked.  
"Ok." Sirius looked surprised. "I'm not going to slap you if that's what you're worried about." Sirius seemed to relax a bit more when she told him that. They disappeared into a swarm of dancing students.  
"He likes her you know," James said.  
"Really? I hadn't guessed since it is the most obvious thing in world at the moment," Lily said sarcastically. James grinned at her then said,  
"Care to dance Milady?" Lily laughed. "What? You don't like my gentleman act?"  
"It doesn't suit you but yes I would like to dance," Lily teased.  
"Good," James said with a smile. As they danced James became aware of nothing except the sparkling green eyes infront of him. He suddenly realised he was staring into Lily's eyes and turned away quickly. Lily, however, didn't seem to notice. Or maybe she did...  
  
TO BE CONTINUED!  
  
A/N: That is my longest story so far! I'm posting this with two different titles and under two different people! I'm working on part 2 at the moment! BYE AND PLEASE REVIEW!   
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Default Chapter Title

A/N: Yah I'm onto part 2! I got a new keyboard! My other one died and it was really slow! Maybe it died because my sister stood on it? Anyway Platyroo is a cross between a Kangaroo and a platypus and my best friend's name is Amanda Hall. I need a new song for the start. If anyone knows the words to a suitable song that would go with this story email me at moochoo33@bigpond.com or padfoot27@hotmail.com I'll need the words to the song. Someone emailed me asking about Candice. She does have a purpose I just haven't thought of it yet...  
  
FRIENDS FOREVER PART 2 or  
(COULD THIS BE LOVE? PART 2)  
  
As we go on,  
We remember,  
All the times we,  
Had together,  
And as our lives change,  
Come one ever,  
We will still be,  
Friends Forever.  
"Graduation" Vitamin C  
  
"Why were you looking at me James?" Lily asked.  
"No reason," James said going red.  
"I was just wondering that's all." The rest of the night passed very quickly. Bec, Sirius, James, Lily, Remus and Candice walked back up to the Gryffindor Common Room talking excitedly about the night.  
"I am so tired!" Candice exclaimed. "I'm going to bed. See ya mates." (Hey she's Australian!")   
"Good night," Lily said before following Candice upstairs.  
"I might stay down a little longer!" Bec called after them.  
"Ok Good night Bec!" Lily and Candice climbed into their pyjamas and hopped into bed.  
"Did you have a fun night Candi?"  
"It was ok. My legs are killing me! I haven't stopped dancing all night," Candice moaned. Lily laughed.  
"What was it like in Australia?"  
"Oh it was wonderful! I went to Platyroo's Outback school for Witches and Wizards. My best friend Amanda Hall was a muggle born, well at least we thought so. In our 3rd year we found out that her mum was a witch but hadn't told anyone." Candice sighed.  
  
"It sounds great there," Lily said.  
"I know it was! I lived on a sheep station! We had sheep and a few cows and heaps of horses! I love horses! Elsea and I had one each. Hers was called Merlin and mine was Delight. Delight was so pretty! She was black with a white blaze and three socks!" She sighed again. "But I'll never get to see her again." (I'm a horse freak I don't deny it!) Candice's eyes filled with tears.  
"I'm so sorry Candi. Maybe you should send Amanda an owl?"  
"Good idea! Thanks Lil!"  
"What are friends for. I'm going to sleep now! It's almost midnight!"  
"G'night Lil!" Lily rolled over and almost instantly fell asleep. The next morning Lily woke when a pillow had been thrown in her face.  
"Candi it's 5 in the morning!"  
"Exactly! Bec isn't back from downstairs yet!" Lily was up in a flash.  
"Let's go see where she is!"  
  
The two girls tiptoed down into the common room.  
"Watch out for the -" CREAK! "- Creaky step," Lily whispered.  
"Sorry I forgot," Candice said.   
"Shh! Look!" This was all Lily could say because she had to control the giggles that threatened to escape her mouth. In one of the armchairs were the sleeping figures of Sirius and Bec.  
"I thought that chair was meant for one person?" Candice giggled.  
"Should we wake them?" Lily asked.  
"Nah," a voice said from behind them, "You'll probably never see Sirius look innocent again."  
"James don't do that!" Lily hissed.  
"What? Creep up behind people and scare the living daylights out of them?"  
"Exactly that! Good morning Remus." Remus nodded sleepily.  
"Someone get a camera!" Candice hissed. Remus went upstairs and appeared a minute later with a poleroid camera.  
  
"Quick take the picture before they wake up!" Lily said. While they waited for the picture to develop Sirius woke up.  
"Um hello? Where am I?" he mumbled.  
"Someone's not a morning person," Candice teased.  
"You're in the common room," Lily said.  
"With Bec," James added slyly. Sirius bolted out of the chair and turned very red. By this time James, Lily, Candice and Remus were beside themselves with laughter.  
"You... should... have... seen... your... face!" James laughed.  
"And you can't deny that it didn't happen because we've got a picture!" Remus said waving the photo in the air. Sirius leaped at him and tried to get the photo. Since he was taller than Remus it was quite easy.  
"Damn! That is so unfair!" Remus moaned.  
"No it's not!" Sirius laughed. "HEY! Give it back Prongs!"  
"Nope." Sirius chased James around the common room.  
"Jeez Bec can sleep through a cyclone!" Candice said.  
"What's a cyclone?" Remus asked.  
"It's what Australian's call a hurricane or typhoon."  
"Oh." Lily was still laughing her head off for some reason.  
  
"Shut up will you?" Bec mumbled.  
"You're awake!" Lily gasped.  
"No duh! With all the noise you lot are making it's a bit hard to sleep!"   
"I'm going down to breakfast!" Candice said.  
"Um maybe getting dressed first would be a good idea?" Lily said before bursting into another fit of giggles.  
"Did someone put something in her pumpkin juice yesterday?" James asked.  
"Yeah I did! I found this potion in a book and wanted to test it!" Sirius exclaimed forgetting about the photo.  
"What potion did you use?" Bec said suddenly wide-awake.  
"Oh the one where they have to laugh everytime someone whose name start's with K or C speaks."  
"Ooh! I used that one on -" Bec stopped suddenly. "-My sister once. It wears off after 24 hours or something like that."  
  
"Well quit testing things on me! Candi you'd better not say anything for the next day, better make it two days to be sure!" Lily said.  
"Ok." Lily burst out laughing again.  
"At least we know it works," Sirius said.  
"Oh! Lily you're going to be laughing all through Arithmancy!" Bec said.  
"Why?"  
"Professor Jenkins name is Celestina! I heard McGonagall call her that."  
"Oh no! Can't you guys just say I'm sick or something? I'll be the laughing stock of the whole school!"  
"Correction you'll be laughing before the whole school!" Remus said. Lily moaned and flopped down on a chair.  
"Don't worry Lily, maybe it won't be that bad?" Candice said. Lily laughed again.  
"We could always use that hiccough charm on her?" James suggested. "At least she won't be laughing anymore."  
"Oh very funny," Lily said sarcastically.  
"Come on we're gonna be late for breakfast!" Sirius said.  
"Always thinking of your stomach eh Padfoot?"  
  
"No! I just wanna see Snape's face when all he can say is 'Sirius Rules'!" Bec snorted.  
"Ooh let's go then! This is gonna be good!" They ran down to the Great Hall nearly killing some Hufflepuff first years in the process. Breakfast was amusing as usual. Especially when the post arrived. Sirius was squirming around in his chair.  
"What is wrong with you?" James asked.  
"You'll see, or should I say hear?"  
"MINERVA HOW COULD YOU? TEACHING TRANSFIGURATION FOR STARTERS BUT DATING THE HEAD OF THE SLYTHERIN HOUSE? YOU ARE A DISCRACE TO THE FAMILY! YOU ARE NO DAUGHTER OF MINE!"  
Professor McGonagall strode over to the Gryffindor Table. The whole school was laughing.  
"Black, Potter come with me now!" She said angrily.  
"Professor I had nothing to do with this!" James exclaimed.  
"Is that true Mr Black?"  
"Yes."  
  
"Fine then. Black you have detention at 8 o'clock with Mr Filch and five points will be taken from Gryffindor. If this happens again I'll be writing to your parents!" Sirius seemed overjoyed that he had gotten a detention.  
"23rd this year!" he said proudly when McGonagall had left.  
"Really? I haven't gotten anymore than one!" Lily exclaimed.  
"I've gotten 16!" Remus said.  
"12!" Bec exclaimed. "Three a term and this one isn't over yet!"  
"9 and I've only been here a month!" Candice said. Lily burst out laughing again.  
"22," James said. "I did have the same amount as Sirius but he just got another one."   
"We've got Arithmancy now," Lily said to Bec.  
"I've got Divination," Candice said. "I hate it! I think I'll drop it next year."   
"See ya in Transfiguration," Remus said over Lily's giggles.  
  
(Ok I'm not going to write her laughing anymore. You'll know that when Candice speaks for the rest of the day Lily is laughing.) Arithmancy was awful for Lily. She was laughing all lesson and Professor Jenkins took 5 points from Gryffindor. Potions were probably worse for Snape. Professor Quill had a habit of asking Snape for answers.  
"And what potion are a hair from a unicorn, porcupine quills, boomslang skin and canary feather used for Mr Snape?"  
"Sirius rules!" The whole dungeon erupted with giggles.  
"Miss Evans perhaps you can tell me?"  
"Um it's a nonsense potion where the person who drinks it turns into 4 animals that suit their personality?"  
"Excellent! Take 5 points for Gryffindor!" (Hey Quill isn't the head of Slytherin! The Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher is!)   
"At least I didn't laugh through that lesson?" Lily said. "Except for when Snape yelled 'Sirius rules'!"  
"That was pretty funny wasn't it?" Sirius exclaimed.   
"It was ok! The howler to McGonagall was funnier!" Candice said. "I'm going to try that potion with the unicorn hair, porcupine quills, boomslang skin and canary feathers!"  
"Yeah! We could make enough to give to all the Slytherins and the teachers!" Sirius exclaimed.  
"Nah! Make enough for the whole school! Except the Gryffindors of course!" James said.  
"No! Give it to the Gryffindor First years as well!" Lily exclaimed.  
  
"I know a charm that will make something 1000 times larger no matter how small it is! We could brew the one cauldron full and then multiply it!" Bec said.  
"Ok but the best time to do it would be at the end of the year," said Remus.  
"That's only 2 weeks away!"  
"Ok we'll do the potion on the last morning of school. We can go down to the kitchens the night before and pour it into the pumpkin juice," James whispered. Over the next two weeks the exams took place.  
"How do you reckon you did on the Transfiguration test?" Candice asked.  
"Pretty well I guess," Lily said. James and Sirius appeared out of nowhere.  
"We've got to do the potion tonight. Tomorrow is the last day!" Sirius said.  
"We've worked it out! Only two people have to go so we'll draw straws. Longest and shortest go. Do you know where Remus is?" James said all this very quickly.  
"Yeah he's with Bec. She's helping him play chess against that 6th year. What's her name again? Narissa or something," Lily said.  
  
"You mean the seeker? Narissa Delo?"  
"Yeah that's her," Candice said. "Speaking of Quidditch I might try out next year."  
"We'll need a new keeper and a chaser. Nick Ploit and Tani Reese are in their 7th year this year and won't be here next year," James said.  
"You're a chaser aren't you? And Sirius and Bec are beaters?"  
"Yeah. Bec's pretty good for a girl," Sirius said with a grin.  
"I'm better than you, Padfoot!" Bec piped up.  
"What happened to chess?"  
"I decided Moony did better on his own."  
"And how do you know our nicknames?" Sirius demanded.  
"I have ears don't I?" Sirius looked very confused.  
"What do - oh I get it!"  
"Good I was beginning to think you didn't have a brain in that puny head of yours," Bec teased. Sirius chased her round the common room.  
"I wonder about their sanity sometimes," Candice said. "Hold it Remus! Move that piece there and take her rook!"  
  
"Thanks," Remus said. "I'm not very good."  
"I'll help!" Candice sat down next to him and soon Remus was winning but somehow Narissa beat him still.  
"Oh well you tried," she grinned. Narissa went off to study for her OWLs.   
"Ok we need to decide who's gonna go out the potion in the pumpkin juice. You only need a teaspoon in each," Lily said. They drew straws.  
"Damn! I alway's miss out," Candice said.  
"I got the short straw!" Lily exclaimed.  
"Who got the long one?" Sirius asked.  
"Me," James said.  
"Um has anyone tested the potion?" Bec asked.  
"Yeah! Watch that first year over there!" Sirius said pointing to a boy who was taking a large gulp out of a goblet. Suddenly the boy was a chicken, then a frog, a canary and a cheetah.  
"Maybe he belongs in Hufflepuff?" Lily said.  
"Why? Oh I get it! He's a chicken! Canaries are yellow which is another name for scaredy cats! He's slimy 'cause of the frog and a cheetah which means he's either fast of a cheater!" Candice exclaimed.  
  
"How did you do that?" Sirius asked.  
"Logic my dear Padfoot."  
"Oh. I knew that!"  
"I can't believe that tomorrow is our last day here! Well for the year anyway. I do not want to spend two months with my aunt! She blames me for what happened last summer!"  
"I have to spend the holidays with my granny and Petunia!" Lily pulled a face. "Hey I've got it! I'll ask granny if you can come and stay Bec! She thinks I'm wonderful because I'm a witch. It drives Petunia crazy! Plus she's got a soft spot for orphans."   
"I s'pose it'll be better than my aunts house. That'd be great Lil!"  
"I'll try and visit you heaps!" Candice said to Lily.   
"Maybe these holidays won't be so bad after all," Lily said.  
"I'm going to bed," Remus said. "It's 11 o'clock already!"  
"C'mon Lil we'd better go contaminate the pumpkin juice," James said.  
"Go get the cloak. I'm going to bed," Sirius said.  
"Good night," Candice said. "Coming Bec?"  
"Yeah," Bec yawned.  
  
James went upstairs and came back down with his invisibility cloak.   
"I took the cauldron down this morning," James said as he threw the cloak over himself and Lily.  
"Good. That way we won't have to make as much noise," Lily said. They tiptoed down the hallway then down some stairs and came to a stop infront of a portrait of a fruit bowl. Lily tickled the pear and the portrait swung forwards. House elves ran everywhere preparing meals and doing other things.  
"We can't take the cloak off. They don't like me very much," James whispered.  
"Where'd you put the potion?" Lily asked.  
"Over there." They made their way over to where a large tub filled with pumpkin juice sat.  
"So all we do is pour it in?" Lily asked.  
"Yep and give it a bit of a stir." Half an hour later they left the kitchen and made their way up to the common room.  
"Peeves! Quick into the shadows!" James said. They leaned against the wall.  
"Um we're kinda invisible? So why are we hiding?"  
"Oops I guess I forgot about the cloak."  
  
They made it back to the common room alive.  
"I am so tired! Good night," Lily said. She went upstairs into the girl's dorm. Candice and Bec were still awake.  
"How'd it go?" Bec asked.  
"Good," was Lily's reply before she fell fast asleep. The next morning the girls got dressed and went down to breakfast.  
"Ok don't drink the pumpkin juice because we contaminated the whole thing," Lily said.  
"I'm gonna drink mine! I wanna see what it feels like to turn into an animal!" Bec exclaimed. Sirius bounced over to them.  
"Hello! Hey Lily I've got a nickname for you!" Sirius exclaimed. Lily moaned.  
"Ooh what?" Candice asked.  
"Tiger!"  
"Why?" Lily asked.  
"Because tiger's are orange and so is your hair! Besides you can get really angry when you want to!" Lily tried to slap him but Sirius was too quick and danced out of her reach.  
  
Breakfast was hilarious! Kids and teachers were turning into animals left, right and center! Remus pointed out that if they didn't drink their pumpkin juice then people might become suspicious. Bec was thrilled when she turned into a unicorn and stayed that way for 5 whole minutes. Bec was obsessed with unicorns.  
"I can't believe it! I was a UNICORN!" Bec exclaimed.   
"I was a snail and a rat," Peter (gasp) said glumly. Sirius burst out laughing.  
"You can't talk Sirius! You were a hyper dog and a hyena!" James said.   
"That was fun!" Sirius exclaimed.  
"I was a stag!" James said. (Yes I made them their animagi transformation).  
"Did anyone realise that Lily was a doe?" Candice said. Sirius burst out laughing again. Lily turned red.  
"It doesn't mean anything!" she said fiercely.   
"Yeah it does!" Remus teased.  
"Ooh look! Snape turned into a snake!" Candice said.  
  
After breakfast they went up to their dorms to finish packing their trunks and then they boarded the train for King's Cross. Bec was still going on about unicorns. Sirius was throwing Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans at her in an attempt to shut her up. Remus was having a conversation with Candice about Australia. Lily was looking out the window and James was watching everyone with an amused expression on his face. The train pulled up at platform 9 and 3/4. Kids burst through the barrier and scared a few innocent muggles.  
"Grandma!" Lily cried running at her grandmother.  
"Hello dear."  
"Bye Lil!" Remus said.  
"See ya Tiger!" Sirius yelled.  
"Don't call me that!"   
"Bye Lily," Candice said with a wave. "Send me heaps of owls!"  
"Bye!" James said. Bec stood alone on the platform sadly. Lily motioned for her to come over.  
  
"Grandma? This is my friend Bec. Her parents and sister died last summer. Can she stay with us this summer?"  
"Of course she can Lily!" Bec grinned.  
"Thanks Lily's Grandma!"  
"Call me Alice dear."  
"Ok, um, Alice." Lily and Bec talked about what they could do this summer.  
"Oh Lily I forgot to tell you. You can decorate your room how you like. Petunia has already done it."  
"Wanna help Bec?"  
"Yeah! Course I do!" The first week of the holiday's passed quickly. Petunia was horrified that her grandma had let another witch into the house. Lily and Bec had decided on a colour for Lily's room. The decided to start working one Sunday.  
"Since we're not allowed to use magic we'll have to do this the muggle way," Lily said.  
  
"Ok by me!" Lily showed Bec what to do and they began painting the room. By lunchtime they had completed half the room.  
"Lily! Some people have turned up asking for you. They won't tell me who they are though," Alice said.  
"Thanks Grandma!"  
"How many are there Alice?"  
"Three boys and a girl I think Bec." The two girls bolted down stairs.  
"Hi guys!" Bec exclaimed.  
"What have you been doing?" Candice asked.  
"Painting!" Lily and Bec said at the same time.  
"Right. Anyway let's go do something!" Sirius said.  
"Ok I'll just tell gran. GRAN! BEC AND ME ARE GOING OUT!"  
"No need to shout Lily. Oh you must be Lily's other friends. She's told me so much about you."  
"Bye gran," Lily said.  
"Have fun and be back before dinner! Petunia's fiance` is coming for dinner!"  
  
"I'll try and forget!" Lily said. The 6 walked down the street before Lily's grandma could say anything else.  
"So how have your holidays been?" Bec asked.  
"Well Sirius and I were testing some spells on his sister and now she's got blue hair," James said.  
"It doesn't suit her either," Sirius added with a grin.  
"Elsea thinks its autumn," Candice said.   
"Why?" Lily asked.  
"Because in Australia it gets up to 40 degrees or more and because July is winter there."  
"Oh." Three hours later Petunia Evans looked out the window expecting to see her fiance` driving up the street. Instead she saw her sister and a bunch of people she'd never seen before. One girl who was seated on a boy's shoulder looked familiar. The group was walking up the front path. Petunia glared at them and flounced out of the room. Lily's gran however, opened the front door.  
  
"Thanks Alice! Hey mind the door way Sirius!" Bec exclaimed.  
"Duck if you don't want to get hit in the head!" Sirius replied.  
"Hi gran!" Lily said.   
"Who are your friends dear?"  
"That's Sirius, Candice, Remus and James," Lily said pointing to each of them in turn.  
"Nice to meet you. Oh! My cake!" Lily's gran went back into the kitchen. (Lily's gran is based on my own!) There was another knock on the door and Petunia hurtled down the stairs in an attempt to reach the door first, but Lily was closer.  
"Hello? Who are you?" Lily said.  
"Vernon Dursley," he said gruffly. Lily guessed he was Petunia fiance`. Petunia glared at Lily.  
"Who don't you and your 'friends' go away?" she sneered.  
"Uh because we don't want to," Lily said.  
  
"I'd better get home," Candice said. "Send me an owl and I'll come visit."   
"Ok," Lily said.   
"I've got floo powder," Candice said.  
"You think it's safe to go back to your house?" James asked Sirius.  
"Yeah. Mum's usually reading the paper now," Sirius replied. Candice threw some floo powder in the fire.  
"Goober Jube!" She yelled. Lily burst out laughing.  
"What kind of name is that?" Candice poked her tongue at her before she disappeared.  
"Anyone else got floo powder?" Sirius asked.  
"Yep," Remus said. He tossed a small bag to Sirius.  
"The Den!" Sirius shouted. He disappeared.  
"Bye," James said before disappearing after Sirius. Remus followed.  
"Just us again!" Bec said.  
"Yeah. What was the name of your house? I've heard you mention it before?"  
"It was the Dragon's Lair or something like that. I haven't used the name for years."  
"Oh."  
  
Dinner was awful. Vernon Dursley kept going on and on and ON about drills. Finally Bec and Lily were able to escape to Lily's half painted room. When they were finished redecorating the room would be white with light yellow trim but it was still white because they hadn't finished painting the east wall.   
"I miss my old room," Bec said with a sigh. "It was enchanted. When I was upset and crying it would look like it was raining but when I was happy the sun would be shining."  
"That sounds really amazing! It must have been really cool to have a room like that," Lily said enviously.   
"Oh it was! The best part was when I was really angry! There would be a thunder storm and Katie used to get so scared!"   
"I miss my parents," Lily said sadly.  
"Me too." The girls sat in silence for a while.  
"I wonder if that Dursley guy is gone yet?" Lily said.  
"Probably is. Let's go see."   
  
The two girls tiptoed down the hallway and peeked down the stairs into the living room. Petunia was sitting on the couch reading and Lily's gran was knitting.  
"Good he's gone," Lily said. They made their way back to Lily's room.  
"I don't know how your sister can like him! He sounds like Professor Binns's grandson!" Bec laughed.  
"He probably is!" Lily said.   
"Speaking of boys, do you like anyone?" Bec teased.  
"No!" Lily said a bit too quickly. Bec raised her eyebrows at her.  
"Are you sure?"  
"No... I meant yes! I'm sure I don't like anyone in that way!"  
"I don't believe you! Tell me!" Bec teased.  
"No!" Lily whined.  
"You're trying to tell me that you, an extremely pretty 16 year-old, isn't interested in a boy!?"  
"That's exactly what I'm telling you!" Lily exclaimed.  
  
"Is he cute?" Bec asked.  
"Yes." Lily then realised her mistake and buried her head in her hands.  
"Ha! I knew you liked someone!"  
"So what? It's no big deal! What subjects are you taking next year?"  
"Don't try and change the subject!" Bec said. "I'm not giving up until I find out who it is!" Lily sighed and lay down on the floor with a dreamy expression on her face.  
"I'm not telling you who it is," she said.  
"Then I'll have to guess. Is he smart?"  
"Yes."  
"Do I know him?"  
"Yes," Lily said as she rolled over and pretended that there was something interesting on the carpet.  
"Oh you're making this very difficult Lil! I know heaps of guys!"  
"That's good! It'll take you forever to figure out who he is!"  
  
Bec sat quietly for a minute. She was going through all the boys she knew to see whom Lily might like.  
"It's James isn't it!?" Lily turned very red and nodded meekly.   
"I knew it! I knew you liked him!"  
"I knew I should have kept my mouth shut," Lily muttered to herself.  
"So?"  
"So what?"  
"So do you know if he likes you?"  
"I don't know," Lily said slowly remembering the times James had kissed her the year before. "You're just too nosy."  
"I know. Has he done anything to make you think that he likes you?"  
"You know I should be having this conversation with my best friend," Lily teased. Bec put on a fake hurt look and Lily laughed.  
"You still haven't answered my question!"  
  
"I don't know I said!"  
"I think you're lying."  
"I thought you were hopeless at divination?"  
"I am! But I have the gift to see when people are lying or not!"  
"It's for me to know and you to find out!" Lily said. Bec knew not to press the subject anymore. Lily, after all, had a temper to match her red hair. The next morning there was a tapping on the window. Bec opened it and 2 owls flew in.  
"Wow! Do you know anyone with a purple owl?"  
"It's name is Aloha and he belongs to James but I haven't seen the other one before," Lily said. She untied the letters and the owls flew away. The first one read:  
  
Hi Guys!  
What's the chance of meeting up in Diagon Alley on the 26th? I might come and visit you two sometime next week! But my Nan and Pop just arrived in England for a visit. Have you seen Prongs' owl? It's purple! Scared Elsea so bad that she fell off her chair when it flew in the kitchen window! Speaking of Elsea she's been made a prefect (Bleach!) Have fun decorating Lil's room.  
  
Candi   
  
Lily laughed.  
"I can picture Elsea falling off her chair!" Bec said. "Write back and tell her the 26th is fine!"  
"I will after I've read this one!"  
  
Hi Bec and Tiger  
Did Candi tell you what happened to Elsea? Why would anyone want to be a prefect? Prefects are bad (no offence Tiger) but Head Boy or Girl would be worse! Do you know what date we're meeting in Diagon Alley? Sirius lost Candi's letter. Bec you're the only one with out a nickname. Well so is Candice but Candi sort of is her nickname. We'll try and think up one for you though.  
  
From  
Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs  
  
"Ew Peter signed it! I do not like that little rat!" Bec exclaimed. "I don't want a nickname either! Now reply those letters Lil!"  
"Ok, ok!" Lily pulled out two pieces of parchment and wrote:  
  
Hi Candi!  
The 26th is fine. We hope you can come and visit. Petunia won't shut up about how 'wonderful' Vernon is. (Gag me with a bludger). Are you still going to try out for the Quidditch team? Bec turned Fluff pink by accident. She matches James's owl now!  
  
From  
Lily  
  
PS: Fluff already was pink! Lily just doesn't remember it.  
Bec  
  
Lily handed the letter to Bec who tied it to Fluff's leg.  
"Give it to Candi ok?" Fluff hooted happily and flew out the window. Lily began the second letter.  
  
Hi guys  
We don't know if you are all reading this. The date for Diagon Alley is the 26th. Bec doesn't want a nickname but I've got the feeling you'll give her one anyway. Did I tell you how stupid the name 'Tiger' is? I don't like it because it reminds me of my dad. He used to call me tiger but I suppose I can get used to it again. Please come and save us from Petunia! She's going on and on and on about Vernon Dursley! We've sent a plea for help to Candi as well.  
  
From  
Bec and Lily/Tiger  
  
PS: I DON'T WANT A NICKNAME!  
:) Bec  
  
Lily tied the note to her owl, Hedwig's leg and sent her to deliver the letter.  
"Should we finish painting the east wall now?" Bec asked.  
"Might as well. If we finish it then we can start on the trim," Lily replied. Two weeks later they had finished Lily's room.  
"I can't believe it took this long to do!" Bec exclaimed.  
"Me neither but the finished product looks nice," Lily said.  
"Girls I've made you some lunch. It's out on the front porch," Lily's gran said.  
"Thanks Gran. Is there any chance of going into London on Tuesday? We need to pick up our school books."  
"Of course Lily." Lily and Bec went out to the porch to eat their lunch.  
"Why are you looking at that tree?" Bec asked. Lily grinned and said,  
"Look for yourself." Bec looked at the spot where Lily had been staring. 4 faces peered down at her. Bec yelped in shock.  
"Get down here now!" She yelled. Lily just sat there laughing.  
  
"Hi! I still can't think of a nickname for you Bec!" Sirius exclaimed.  
"Don't do that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Bec scolded. "And I don't want a nickname!"  
"How have you been?" Candice asked. "Have you finished Lily's room yet?"  
"Yeah we just finished," Lily said. "It looks better than it did before."   
"So what have you guys been up to besides climbing trees and scaring people to death?"   
"Nothing," James said simply. "I've decided to drop Divination. It's pretty useless."  
"I wish we could drop Potions!" Sirius exclaimed.   
"Are you still gonna try out for the Quidditch team Candi?" Remus asked.  
"Yeah! I don't know what I'd be good at though. I haven't flown in a long time."  
"Have you got a broom?" Bec asked.  
"Nah. I'm getting one in Diagon Alley on Tuesday. A Silver Arrow 16 I think. Dad ordered it last month, before it even came out!"  
  
Lily yawned.  
"You are allowed to change the subject you know Lil," James said with a grin.  
"No thanks. Bec was talking in her sleep so loudly last night I thought she'd wake up the whole street!"  
"How many times do I have to tell you? If she talks in her sleep throw a pillow at her!" Candice giggled. "What was she talking about this time?"  
"The usual. Unicorns. I swear that every second word was unicorn! It's driving me mad!"  
"I can't help it if I like unicorns!"  
"Like? It's more of an obsession!" Sirius teased. Bec glared at him.  
"The same as your obsession with brooms and Quidditch?"  
"You're obsessed with Quidditch as well! You just happen to be more obsessed with unicorns." Bec grinned.  
"And proud of it!" She said.   
"You're not serious are you?" Sirius exclaimed.  
"Course not! I'm Bec! Are you sure you haven't forgotten your name?"  
"Ha, ha very funny! That joke is so old!"   
"I know. It was funny the first time but now it's just stupid."  
"Agreed."   
  
On Tuesday Bec shook Lily awake.  
"Wake up! We've got to go to Diagon Alley today."  
"Just five more minutes," Lily mumbled into her pillow. Bec grabbed Lily's arm and pulled her out of bed.  
"OW! Bec you didn't have to throw me on the floor!"  
"I didn't," Bec said in a superior voice, "I pulled you out of bed onto the floor."  
"It's the same thing," Lily said grumpily. The girls got dressed and went down to the kitchen for breakfast.   
"Now do you two know where to go?" Lily's gran asked.  
"Yep Alice. There's no need to worry about us!" Bec said.  
"We'll take the bus into London," Lily told her grandmother.  
"Yes that's fine." When they had finished eating Lily and Bec went up to Lily's room to find their book lists.  
"I'm sure I put one on your dresser, Lil."  
"No wasn't it in one of the draws? Hang on - I found one!"  
"Good! We only need the one now let's go! We'll be late."  
"I'm coming Bec!"   
  
They arrived in Diagon Alley 45 minutes later.  
"I need some new quills," Lily muttered as they entered Flourish and Blotts. Bec ignored her and said,  
"I wonder where the others are?"  
"I don't know. I suppose we'll find them eventually."  
"May I help you girls?" An assistant said.  
"Yep. Can we have 2 of all of those books and one of each of them?" Bec said handing the witch her list. They left the shop half an hour later with their new books.  
"I bet we'll find them in Quality Quidditch Supplies," Lily mused.  
"I'll bet you're right," Bec said - she peered through the window of the shop. "Yep they're in there!" She grabbed Lily's arm and dragged her inside.  
"Hi guys! I was coming to pick up my broom when someone decided it might be funny to jump out from behind something and scare me to death," Candice said. She glared at Sirius who smiled innocently at her - then went back to talking to James.  
  
"Miss Donian? Your broom?" A man called.  
"Oh thanks mate!" Candice exclaimed. The man handed her a long shiny broom with silver arrow 5 written at the top of the handle.  
"Ooh! You are so lucky! Can I hold it please?" Bec begged.  
"Jeez Bec! It's just a broom!" Lily scoffed.   
"I know! But it's the latest model! Only just came out!" By this time Sirius, James and Remus had wandered over to have a look.  
"I wonder if it flies well?" James said to no one in particular.   
"It probably does Prongs," Sirius reassured.   
"C'mon! I still need to get some new quills!" Lily said in a desperate attempt to change the subject. Lily found talking about brooms very boring. When they went out of Quality Quidditch Supplies Candice's sister, Elsea wandered over too them.  
"Have you got it Candice?" Elsea asked. Before Candi had a chance to reply Elsea noticed a couple of her Ravenclaw friends and ran off to join them.  
  
"She's becoming so annoying since she was made a prefect!" Candice said angrily. "We used to be best friends in Australia but she's changed! We may look the same on the outside but on the inside we're totally different!"  
"You realise, that no one is really listening to you?" Sirius said. Candi went smack him over the head but missed.  
"I think she's going to put you on her list of annoying people soon Padfoot," Remus said seriously.  
"Right up there - in fact you are the most annoying person in the world," Candice said with a grin. "Besides Snape and Elsea and all of the Hufflepuff house!"  
"Why are the Hufflepuffs annoying?" James questioned.  
"They just are," Candice said. As suddenly as she had disappeared, Elsea returned.  
"Candice? We're going now," she said stiffly.   
"Bye guys. I'll see you on 9 and 3/4," Candice said. She pulled a face as she followed Elsea over to where a tall, tanned man with wavy blonde hair and an equally tall woman with brown, fizzy hair stood.  
  
"I can see where poor Candice gets her hair from," Sirius said solemnly.  
"You can't talk! Look at your hair!" Bec teased.  
"So? Your point is?"  
"You are so irritating!"   
"And proud of it!"  
"There's no hope of me finding a come-back that will leave you lost for words is there?"  
"Nope, no hope what so ever." Bec glared at him.  
"And don't go giving me that 'I'm innocent' smile either!" Sirius did it anyway, just to annoy her.  
"Lover's spat," Remus muttered under his breath. Lily giggled.  
"I heard that!"  
"Someone's not in a good mood today," James grinned.   
"I am in a good mood!" Bec snapped. Lily giggled even harder.  
"Oops come on Padfoot! It's 1 o'clock! We told your mum we'd be back by noon."  
"Oh yeah? Coming Moony?"  
"No thanks I've got to get home as well."  
"See ya on 9 and 3/4," Lily called after them.  
  
Bec was still fuming when they arrived back at Lily's grandma's house. Gran gave Lily a smile and Bec suddenly got the feeling they knew something she didn't.  
"What are you hiding from me?" She demanded.  
"You'll find out soon enough!" Lily said. She was practically falling out of her chair with excitement.  
"Lily will you go give these to Petunia? She's awfully busy and can't make it down to lunch," Lily's gran said as she handed Lily a huge plate of sandwiches.  
"Ok," Lily sighed. She walked up the stair reluctantly. Moments later they heard Petunia's voice ring out through the entire house.  
"GET OUT OF MY ROOM YOU FREAK!" A door slammed and Lily bolted down the steps a moment later. She started laughing so hard that she started hiccoughing. Both Bec and Lily's gran gave her a look that clearly said 'you are insane.' When Lily had calmed down her gran guided her into the kitchen, sat her down in a chair and handed her a glass of water then placed a plate of sandwiches infront of her and Bec.   
  
"Do you want to tell her or should I?"  
"You can gran," Lily said.  
"Tell me what?" Bec asked.  
"Don't talk with your mouth full. Now Bec, Lily has been planning this for quite a few months now. She didn't mention it because she was afraid it wouldn't work out."  
"Just tell me already! No need to get me psyched up! I already am!"  
"Bec you get to live here with me and gran!" Lily shrieked, unable to keep quiet any longer. "I've been talking to Dumbledore all last term and have been writing to him all summer to try and convince him to let you stay!" Bec was speechless.  
"You're serious?" She squeaked.  
"Of course I am!"  
"But where will I stay? I'm sure you wouldn't want me to stay in your room forever?"  
"Come with me!" Lily grabbed Bec's arm and dragged her upstairs. Lily's gran listened for her reaction from the bottom of the steps.  
"OH MY GOSH! LILY EVANS HOW ON EARTH DID YOU KEEP THIS A SECRET? THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU SO MUCH!"   
  
Lily had shown Bec the spare bedroom, which had been redecorated in secret. It was white with a border of sky-blue unicorns that had been bewitched to prance around the room.  
"I had special permission from Dumbledore and the Ministry to do the charm to make them move," Lily explained. Bec flopped down on the bed. The quilt and pillows matched the unicorns on the room.  
"Thank you so much!" Bec squeaked. To Lily's surprise, Bec began to cry.  
"What's wrong?"  
"Nothing! This is just the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for me!" She said as she wiped her eyes. 6 days later Lily and Bec waved goodbye to Lily's gran or Aunt Alice as Bec now called her and ran through the barrier that separated platforms nine and ten into the hidden platform of 9 and 3/4. Both were giggling hysterically.   
"What's so funny?" Candice demanded when she spotted them.  
"Nothing. We've got the best news!" Bec said through her giggles.  
"What is it? Tell me!"  
"Wait till the others get here that way we won't have to tell the same story two or more times," Lily said.  
  
"Please?" Candice begged. Both Bec and Lily shook their heads.  
"Don't worry, James and Sirius just popped through the barrier and are heading this way," Bec said. Since she was a head taller than Lily and Candice the boys spotted her easily.  
"Hi Bec, hi Candi, hi Tiger," Sirius said.  
"I'm not Tiger!" Lily exclaimed angrily.  
"You said in your letter that you could get used to it so get used to it. Moony! Over here!" Sirius called.  
"Hi," James said as Remus ran over.  
"Hi. I ran into Snape on the way over. I bet he wished he didn't pick a fight now!" Remus said with a laugh.  
"Ooh! What did you do?" Bec asked eagerly.  
"Um he's got green hair, blue eyebrows, purple ears and a red nose. Oh and pink eyes!" The 6 of them erupted with laughter. When Snape passed them they laughed harder if possible.   
"What... spell... did... you... use?" Bec asked between giggles.  
  
"I don't know. I just raised my wand and muttered something, just to make him think I would use a spell and it just happened," Remus said.  
"Yikes! We'd better get on the train. It leaves in 1 and 1/2 minutes," Lily said as she looked at her watch. The managed to find some seats but it was very squashy.  
"Move over! How am I supposed to fit in?" Bec demanded.  
"You're not," was Candice's muffled reply. She was squashed right up against the window.  
"You can sit on Padfoot's lap," James said with an evil grin.  
"Ok."  
"Hey get off! You're heavy!"  
"No I'm not!" Some 7th years gave them strange looks, grabbed their things and left.  
"Too noisy," one of them muttered.  
"You can get off me now Bec," Sirius said. He pushed her off and she fell on the floor.  
"Hey!" Lily, Remus and James were watching the scene with amused expressions on their faces. Candice was giggling uncontrollably. It was going to be a long trip.  
  
Finally they arrived at Hogwarts.   
"Hey you didn't tell us your news yet!" Candice said to Lily and Bec.  
"Tell you at the feast," Bec said, looking longingly up at the castle. "I'm starving! I'm so hungry I could eat a Hinkypunk! I'm so -"  
"We get the point! You're hungry! Come to think of it, so am I," Sirius said.  
"You're always hungry," Remus said in an exasperated voice.  
"I know." The sorting seemed to take forever. Finally when 'Zygotic, Hannah' was made a Ravenclaw the feast began.  
"Ok so what is this news Candi mentioned?" James asked.  
"Don't talk with your mouth full. Anyway I've been planning this with Dumbledore for ages and -" Lily began.  
"I get to live with Lily!" Bec blurted out excitedly. "I've got my own room and everything!"  
"I bet it's full of unicorns," Remus teased.  
"Yep," Bec said, nodding eagerly. Once they had eaten all they could they went up to the common room.  
  
"The password is Hinkypunk," Lily told them.  
"How do you know?" James demanded. Lily pulled a face and she pointed at her prefect badge.  
"Oh." Candice muttered something that sounded like 'g'night' and trudged up the stairs to the girl's dorm.  
"I'm getting worried about her. She's not perky anymore and she gets tired really easily," Lily said.  
"Mmm. I wonder what's wrong," Bec said with a yawn. "I'm going to bed."  
"Me too." The two girls went up to their dorm. The moment they climbed into bed they fell fast asleep. The next morning when Lily woke Candice was looking at her with an amused expression on her face.  
"What?" Lily asked sleepily.  
"You talk in your sleep. Strange things you say too. It sounded like you were having a conversation with James." Lily blinked and began to get dressed.  
"If I say strange things then you should listen to Bec some time," she said.  
"I have a feeling every second word is unicorn." Candice threw a pillow at Bec and she woke with a start.  
"Where's the fire?" she asked stupidly. "What time is it?"  
"Seven," Lily said, grovelling through her trunk. "Where are my socks? You know the ones with cats on them."  
  
"Oh them. I wore them to bed," Candice said. Lily glared at her.  
"Give me a pair of your socks to wear then. You know I always wear them on the first day of term! And not those purple ones either." Lily went over to Candice's trunk to find a pair of socks. Finally when the girls were dressed they went down to the Great Hall for breakfast.  
"Morning!" Sirius chirped as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.  
"You're too perky in the mornings," Bec yawned.  
"I agree," Remus said sleepily. Sirius opened his mouth to protest but before he could say anything the owl post arrived. A large grey owl landed on Candice's shoulder. She looked at the name on the envelope.  
"Elsea is in Ravenclaw," she told the owl. It took off and flew towards the Ravenclaw table at the same time as another owl flew and landed on her shoulder. This time it was addressed to her. The letter read:  
  
Candice  
You forgot your quills again! I won't send them too you the next time. You'll have to remember on your own or transfigure some out of something.  
  
Mum  
  
Two pale yellow quills and an acid green with an orange quill fell out of the envelope. Bec looked at them with interest.  
"The yellow ones are from a cockatoo's crest and the green and orange one is from a king parrot. They're both native Australian birds," Candice explained.  
"Oh," Bec said. Sirius started fidgeting in his chair.  
"What?" James asked.  
"I put this potion in the Snape's pumpkin juice so that when they talk they won't be able to because a heap of canaries will fly out of their mouths!" Sirius exclaimed. Sure enough a thousand or more birds flew out of Snape's mouth and out the window. The whole table erupted with laughter at the sight. Snape glared at Sirius and James before flouncing out of the Great Hall.  
"Pity," Bec said, "I know of an antidote for that potion. I'm pretty sure if I know it so will Madam Pomfrey." Sirius's face fell.  
"Darn! I wanted him to be spewing canaries all day!" he whined.  
"I'm allergic to canaries!" Bec snapped. She gathered up her books and walked out of the hall.  
  
Christmas arrived before they knew it. Candice had gone back to Australia for a vacation and Remus had to go to Switzerland to visit his grandparents. Lily, Bec, Sirius and James were the only Gryffindors staying for the holidays. On Christmas day Bec's bad mood vanished and instead she was acting like Sirius' twin sister, causing trouble every chance she got. Bec woke Lily up at 5 am by accident.  
"I can't get back to sleep now!" Lily moaned.  
"So? We've got presents to open!" Bec practically flew at the pile of presents at the end of her bed. Wrapping paper flew everywhere. Sirius and James bounced into their dorm a short while later. Bec immediately burst out laughing.   
"What?" Sirius demanded.  
"You've got paper stuck in your hair Padfoot," Lily said solemnly.   
"So what? Any one up for a few snowball fights? Me and Prongs got up really early to make some!" James blinked sleepily.  
"He made them. I just watched," he said.  
"Ok. Just let us get our cloaks. Meet you in the Entrance Hall in 5 minutes!" Lily said. The boys disappeared.  
  
Lily and Bec made their way to the hall.  
"We're going to be ambushed," Lily said to Bec.  
"Nah! I made a bunch of snowballs last night! Hid 'em in a tree." She grabbed Lily's arm and dragged her outside to a large oak tree. They climbed it and sat waiting for Sirius and James to show up. 5 minute later they came outside.  
"We can hide somewhere and wait for them and then - OW!" James said. "Where'd it come from?"  
"I dunno maybe -" SPLAT! A snowball hit Sirius in the face. Bec was laughing so hard that she fell out of the tree. Sirius grabbed and handful of snow, rolled it into a ball and threw it at her. Lily lobbed a snowball high up in the air and it landed on James's head. The air was soon full of snowballs. Half an hour later they had run out of snowballs.  
"I give up!" Bec said, coming out from behind a tree. She flopped down into the snow, face up.  
"Hey what's that?" Bec said pointing to the sky.   
"It's an owl I think," Lily said. She was right. A large brown owl landed on the log James was sitting on.  
  
He untied the letter and read it. The letter said:  
  
G'day!  
I'm having a great time in Australia! It's good to see my friends again. It's really strange. I don't know whether to call Australia or England home now. Anyway, I can't wait to get back to school. Merry Christmas guys.  
  
Candice  
  
Two weeks later students started arriving back at Hogwarts. Candice's accent was barely noticeable before the Christmas holidays but when she arrived back from Australia it was stronger than ever. So strong in fact, that they sometimes had trouble understanding her, especially if she spoke very quickly.  
"So what did you guys do on Christmas day?" Candice asked.  
"Can't understand you," Bec said in a singsong voice.  
"What...Did...You...Do...On...Christmas...Day?"   
"Snowball fight!" Sirius said enthusiastically. (I hate that word! I got it right on the first try though!)   
"Lucky. It's summer in Australia. Christmas day was so hot! My parents took Elsea and I to the beach so it wasn't that bad actually."  
"Lessons start again tomorrow," Lily reminded them. Bec pulled a face.  
"Anyone want a game of chess?" Sirius asked. Candice opened her mouth to say something. "Besides Candice."  
"I will. Candice has been teaching me some moves that no one else will have thought of. I can almost beat her now!" Bec said.  
  
"Then again I don't want to play chess," Sirius said quickly.  
"Chicken."  
"No I'm not. Who wants to go to Hogsmeade? I heard that Zonko's have got these new fake crystal balls. One type makes you see death all the time and the other squirts water at you if you look too closely. I was thinking we could plant them in Trawley's classroom next Divination lesson."  
"One problem. We don't take Divination," James said.  
"Yeah but Candice does!" Sirius insisted.   
"Um, I haven't gotten a detention this year and I'd like to keep it that way," Candice said.  
"What happened? Australia make you lose your sense of humour?" Bec teased.  
"No way! You guys wouldn't know a joke if you tripped over it. I was kidding! I've gotten 6 detention this year!"  
"Ooh what did you do?" Sirius asked.  
"Filibuster Fireworks in Snape's cauldron twice, Dungbombs in the Divination tower 3 times and stink pellets in the staffroom closet once."  
"That's one that we've never done, Padfoot. Stink Pellets in the staffroom closet," James mused.   
  
"Are we going to Hogsmeade or not?" Remus asked impatiently.  
"Yes, come on then." They went up to the 4th floor in search of a mirror.  
"This isn't the passage we used last time," Lily commented.  
"Yeah, we have to keep using different passages. They are 7 in total but Filch knows 3 of them. The other 2 are under the Whomping Willow or behind a suit of armour that keeps moving. Since the entrance moves so does the passage so we don't bother with it." Sirius said this very quickly. The girls stared at him.  
"Are you on some sort of medication?" Bec asked.  
"Not that I know of." James tapped the mirror with his wand and it swung open. They filed into the passage.   
"Lumos," Lily muttered. She heard the others do the same. They walked along the passage in silence. It seemed to go forever. Finally they emerged out into the sunshine.  
"Where are we?" Candice asked.   
"Behind Zonko's," James said.  
"If we get caught we'll be in so much trouble," Lily said, worriedly.   
"That's just the thing. We won't get caught," Remus said. Bec was unusually quiet as they entered Zonko's. Half an hour later they left the shop with their pockets full of itching powder, fake wands, dungbombs, stink pellets and the fake crystal balls.   
  
"Can we go to the Three Broomsticks now?" Lily asked.  
"Nah Honeydukes first!" Candice argued. She was obsessed with Honeydukes. After Candice had stocked up on things to send to her grandparents and friends in Australia they headed off for the Three Broomsticks. Madam Rosmerta gave them a warm smile when they entered.  
"Hi kids, what'll it be today?" she asked.  
"6 butterbeers," James said. "Can you give them to us free this time?"  
"Sorry but business has been a bit slow lately. Lot's off people in the village went away for Christmas and haven't come back yet."  
"That's what you always say!" Sirius protested. Madam Rosmerta laughed and went off to get their drinks. They sat at a table in the back of the pub near the window.  
"Guys I've got something to tell you," Bec began, she was interrupted by Madam Rosmerta, who had arrived with their drinks. Once she had left Bec spoke again.  
  
"I've got something to tell you," she said nervously.  
"What?" Remus said.   
"I'm Animagus. My parents helped my sister and I to do it years ago. They thought it would be a good idea in case something ever happened to them." Bec spoke so softly that they had to lean forward to hear.  
"Are you registered?" Lily asked quietly.  
"Always worrying about rule eh Tiger?" Sirius teased.  
"Oh keep your big mouth shut! I happen to know what your secret is."  
"We were going to tell ya now anyway," James said.  
"Ooh! What is it?" Candice asked.  
"Peter, James and me are also Animagi," Sirius said.  
"They did it for me," Remus explained. "I'm a -"  
"We've know for ages Remus," Bec said quickly. "It's not that hard to figure out." Remus went very pale.  
"You - you don't care?" he squeaked. "You don't care that I'm, well you know..."  
"We don't care one bit," Lily said firmly. "It was silly of you to think that it'd make a difference." Remus gave a small smile and pretended to be very interested in his bottle of butterbeer.  
  
"So, back to the subject of Animagi," Sirius said quietly.   
"What animal are you?" James asked.  
"A winged horse," Bec said with a smile. "It's pretty close to a unicorn don't ya reckon?"  
"I've got a nick name for you then!" Lily said.  
"What?" Candice asked.  
"Pegasus."  
"What?" Bec exclaimed, totally bewildered.  
"Pegasus, the winged horse, is an ancient Greek myth," Lily explained.  
"Only you would know that, Lil," Sirius teased.   
"I'm the only one without a nickname now," Candice said with a sigh.  
"You've got one already," Bec said, she was feeling pretty pleased with herself for some reason.   
"No I don't."  
"Candi is your nickname."  
"No it's not."  
"Why do you think we call you Candi then?"  
"Because it's quicker than Candice?"  
"Nope. It's because you're obsessed with Honeydukes!" Sirius said brightly. Candice pulled a face at him.  
  
Lily looked at her watch.  
"We'd better head back now guys," she said.   
"Yeah! I can't wait to put itching powder on Ms Norris!" James exclaimed.  
"Nah! You put it on her tail only! Last time I did that she chased her tail in a hopeless attempt to scratch it!" Sirius said. Lily gave them both a bewildered look.  
"You two are hopeless!" she exclaimed.  
"We try our best," Sirius said. He gave her a sardonic grin but Lily just scowled at them.  
"C'mon let's go back to school," Candice said. They left the Three Broomsticks and headed back along the secret passage behind Zonko's.  
  
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Well there's another part over and done with. I don't know if I should continue because no one seems to like this story. If I don't get 10 reviews I'll give up on it kay? So if you like this story please review because I like it and don't want to stop.  
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